Jerry West: Biography, Age, Career, Net Worth, Height, Relationship & More

As a player and an executive in the basketball world, Jerry West is a legendary figure and beyond his achievements and stats, he has a significant impact.

His tenacity, basketball acumen, and management contributions have made a lasting impression on the NBA.

His contributions to player evaluation and team construction have shaped successful teams and established him as one of the most renowned people in basketball history.

Summary of Jerry West's Biography

Full name: Jerome Alan West
Date of birth: May 28, 1938
Place of birth: Chelyan, West Virginia, United States
Date of death: June 12, 2024
Partner: Karen West
Net Worth: $50 million
Parents: Howard Stewart West, Cecil Sue West
Siblings: 5

Jerry West Biography

American basketball executive and player Jerome Alan West was a professional basketball player with the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Los Angeles Lakers.

Known by various monikers, he was called “the Logo” because the NBA logo was based on his silhouette; “Mr. Clutch” because of his knack for making a big play in crunch time, like the buzzer-beating 60-foot shot that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks; “Mr. Outside” because of his perimeter play with the Los Angeles Lakers; and “Zeke from Cabin Creek” because of the creek close to his birthplace of Chelyan, West Virginia.

In his formative years, West played small forward. He excelled at East Bank High School and West Virginia University, where he helped the Mountaineers win the 1959 NCAA championship. Despite losing the title game, he was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

His 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers followed, and he was co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal. The team was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 as a whole. He was admitted to the Hall of Fame in 2024 for his executive and consulting contributions to the sport.

With 25,192 points, 6,238 assists, and 5,366 rebounds in 932 games—or an average of 27.0 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game—West finished his playing career with 14 All-Stars, 12 All-NBA Team, and five All-Defensive Team choices. Only Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and Michael Jordan among the retiring players have averages higher than his 27.0 points per game.

Jerry West Nationality

Jerry West is an American national from Chelyan, West Virginia, United States

Jerry West Net Worth

As successful as Jerry West was, he had a net worth of $50 million

Where is Jerry West from?

Jerry West is from Chelyan, West Virginia, United States where he was born.

Chelyan is a census-designated place in Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States. Chelyan is located on the south bank of the Kanawha River, southeast of Chesapeake.

How old is Jerry West?

Being born on May 28, 1938, and died on June 12, 2024, Jerry West was 86 years

Jerry West Height & Weight

Jerry West was with a height of 1.91 m and a weight of 79 kg

Jerry West Career

This is a rundown of Jerry West’s accomplishments and legacy in the NBA game:

College: Studied from 1956 to 1960 at West Virginia University, where he rose to prominence as one of the most renowned players in the annals of college basketball. In 1959, West was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament and guided the Mountaineers to the NCAA championship game.
Los Angeles Lakers were the NBA playing team from 1960 to 1974.
Function: Mainly performed as a guard.
Achievements:
NBA Titles: One (1972).
Nine NBA Finals appearances.
14 times as an NBA All-Star.
Ten times, All-NBA First Team.
NBA Scoreboard Leader: 1970.
4-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection.
1969 was the only player to receive the NBA Finals MVP award while playing for the losing team.
Nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” because of his capacity for success in high-pressure situations.
Post-Playing Career: From 1976 to 1979, he briefly led the Lakers as their head coach.
Executive Positions:
General Manager of the Los Angeles Lakers: 1982–2000. Six NBA titles were won by the Lakers under his leadership.
Executive for the Memphis Grizzlies: Contributed to making the team competitive for the playoffs.
Consultant for the Golden State Warriors: Contributed significantly to the construction of the squad that won numerous titles in the 2010s.
Los Angeles Clippers Consultant: Participated in the team’s recent success after joining the front office in 2017.
In 1980, the individual was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, marking their legacy and honors.
NBA Logo: The official NBA logo features his silhouette.
Honors and Awards: In 1996, he was listed as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History
Listed in 1996 as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
2019 saw the recipient of the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award.
Considered by many to be among the best guards in the game’s history.

Jerry West Marital Status

Jerry West was married to Karen Bua as at the time of his death. Jerry West and Karen Bua married the knot on May 31, 1978.

For the former, it was his second marriage; for the latter, it was his first. Jerry was initially married to Martha Kane, with whom he shared 16 years of marriage.

Jerry West Family & Siblings

Jerry West was the fifth of six children born to Howard Stewart West, an electrician in coal mines, and Cecil Sue West, a homemaker. West has said that he once slept with a loaded shotgun under his bed because he was afraid he might have to kill his father in order to defend himself after being physically tortured by him.

When West was younger, he was gregarious and assertive. But after his older brother, David, was killed in action during the Korean War in 1951, the trauma left West a reclusive and quiet youngster. Because of his extreme weakness, he was kept out of children’s sports and had frequent vitamin injections from his doctor to keep him from suffering life-threatening injuries.

Why is Jerry West famous?

Jerry West is well-known for his varied and extraordinarily prosperous basketball career, which includes accomplishments as a player, coach, and businessman.

The reasons for Jerry West’s renown include his extraordinary skill as a player, his astute business acumen as an executive, and his enduring influence on basketball.

His contributions have influenced NBA history and the league’s current state of affairs.

Jerry West Children

Jerry West had 5 children namely Jonnie West, Ryan West, Michael West, Mark West, David West. David, Mark, and Michael are from his first marriage while Ryan and Jonnie his second.

Jerry West Social Media

Jerry West appeared not to be a fan of social media as there’s no account that could be linked to him.

How many Philanthropic Works has Jerry West supported?

Throughout his life, Jerry West has been active in a number of charitable endeavors, frequently concentrating on problems pertaining to community assistance, education, and health.

Although the precise quantity of charitable endeavors he has funded may not be entirely recorded, the following are some noteworthy accomplishments and fields in which he has had a major influence

Philanthropic Contributions

Mental Health Advocacy: In addition to working to increase awareness and lessen the stigma attached to mental health disorders, West has been candid about his battles with depression.
Support for Healthcare Initiatives: He has contributed to a number of causes pertaining to healthcare, especially those that work to enhance the availability of mental health resources.
Scholarships & Educational Initiatives: In an effort to give impoverished youngsters options, West has contributed to educational initiatives and scholarship programs.
Youth Programs: He has backed a lot of initiatives aimed at helping young people grow, such as sports camps and mentorship schemes.
Charitable Foundations: West has partnered with and made contributions to a number of charitable foundations that help and improve local communities.
The Development of Sports and Basketball
Youth Basketball Camps: He has assisted in planning and funding basketball camps for young athletes, which aids in their skill development and cultivates a passion for the sport.
Assistance for Retired Athletes: West has further backed programs designed to ease the transition of former athletes into life beyond competition.
Jerry West Foundation: Although the foundation’s precise initiatives are not well documented, it has engaged in a number of charity endeavors.
NBA Cares: Being a well-known player in the NBA, West has taken part in the league’s community outreach initiatives, which include a broad spectrum of charitable endeavors from home construction to disaster relief.

How many Endorsement deals has Jerry West?

Along with endorsement partnerships with Converse and other brands, Jerry West has also made a sizable income from these sources.

Jerry West Cause Of Death

Legendary member of the Los Angeles Lakers and an NBA icon, Jerry West, passed away on June 12 at the age of 86. Although his cause of death was not disclosed, it remains unclear if Jerry West’s death was due to a disease, naturally or an accident.

How many Businesses does Jerry West own?

The number of businesses Jerry West owned aren’t known at the moment but looking at how successful he was, we believe he might have invested in a couple of businesses.

How many houses and cars does Jerry West have?

Jerry West surely owned some cars and houses but decided to keep them away from the media

How much does Jerry West make annually?

As a player, the highest that Jerry West earned in one season was $90,000 but as a coach, we believe he earned much more than that which has contributed to his amazing net worth.

Does Jerry West have Siblings?

As the fifth of six children, Jerry West surely had four elder siblings and one younger one but there’s nothing known about them in the media aside from losing one of his brothers when he was young.

Who are Jerry West’s Parents?